Like many a good thing, Puy du Fou really does gets better with age. I last visited two years ago, and although it blew my historical socks off I wasn’t emotionally invested. Fast-forward to my stay there last month, and I’m already planning future trips with friends and my unborn children. Now in their 40th…
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History and The City: Only One Half Of The Story
This week I’ve been questioning the great Samuel Johnson who once said “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”. I mean, of course he is right. I am constantly grateful to live in a city bursting with life and history. The blood of London runs fast with museums, historic buildings,…
6 Things We Learnt in HCP’s Chocolate Rooms
Valentine’s Day saw the opening of a previously undiscovered set of rooms at Hampton Court Palace. For years these rooms had been used to store unused items, until one clever Curator put the pieces of the jigsaw together (with the help of some blueprints), and realised the rooms were used to make…Chocolate. The lovely people at the HRP…
Gold Rush Ghost Town
For those not in the know, the great American gold rush was exactly how it sounds. News of vast amounts of gold deposits spread fast across the Western frontier and Montana and Bannack witnessed the greatest rush of families trying to cash in on the gold up for grabs. Meade Hotel in the now ghostly Bannack,…
The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor
When this book arrived in the post from Secret Book Club, it felt like it was kismet. In 1903, my Great, Great Aunt Mary made the journey from Queenstown in Ireland to New York. She was 16 years old. She boarded a ship called ‘The Germanic’ to begin a new life in America with an…
Empty Rooms: My Intern Experience at HRP
As I wander through the empty King’s State Apartments in Hampton Court Palace, my eyes glaze over. I am no longer myself – perhaps I am a queen, a gentlewoman or a servant. I make my way from drawing room to dressing room, opening the shutters and lifting the blinds. The view of the beautiful…
How to have the best Roman adventure when you’re broke AF
With Europe on our doorstep there is no excuse not to go exploring. Just because rent is 80% of your salary doesn’t mean you can’t live your best summer, soaking up some sun, historical sights and . Follow these top tips for visiting Rome on a budget: 1. Book your flights well in advance Source: cheapflights…
Meet Clare Sexton: Assistant Archivist at Valence House Museum
We are always proud to showcase industry insights and engage our readers with the range of jobs available within the heritage sector. Luckily for us, Contributor Alison Kitchener is well-connected, and has a friend who works as an Assistant Archivist at Valence House Museum. Clare, very kindly, agreed to be interviewed by Alison, who put…
Horrid Historical Hangover Cures
We’ve all been there. Splitting headaches, hot flushes, shaking nausea and the lack of ability to function as a normal person. All wonderful hallmarks of a stinking hangover! Nowadays, we see out these dark moments wrapped in a fluffy duvet, curled up in a ball watching horrendous ‘take your brain out TV’ and uttering those…
5 Ways WWII Impacted the Beauty and Fashion Industry
World War II, one of the biggest conflicts the world has ever seen, impacted most people around the world on a daily basis. While some countries suffered more than others, most of them had to ration products that were used on a daily basis. This meant that women, who were encouraged to put their best…